Your scum company news round-up...

Lots of comings and goings in the world of big business at the moment, with lots of companies jostling for position and trying their hardest to win your nominations in our ‘worst of 2012’ poll. In fact there’s so much going on that we thought it would be best to round it all up in one place.

1: Say hello to Pret A Manger. They’ve just fired one of their London store workers, shortly after he tried to organise a union with the aim of getting the London Living Wage of £8.55 p/h for all Pret employees...

2: The government’s controversial work experience programme is rearing its ugly head again with Christmas approaching. Tesco, Argos and Superdrug are among the companies that will be bringing in hordes of unemployed sorts for a few weeks of unpaid labour.

3: Perturbed by the recent spate of revelations about companies that are looking to siphon their tax bill money away from the UK? Now it’s a bit easier for you to vote with your wallets, as the good people at Ethical Consumer magazine has outed some of the companies that are doing things right and keeping their UK-made profits here in the UK where they can be taxed appropriately.

4: Microsoft might not feature on that list after The Sunday Times alleged that the Bill Gates software machine pays no tax on £1.7 billion of online sales in the UK, with the help of a legal loophole that sends Windows 8 sales cash to Luxembourg instead.

5: Earlier in the year, E.On said that they wouldn’t be raising their prices in 2012, and they’ve stuck to their word. However, there’ll be a duel fuel price increase by 8.7% on 18th January 2013. Those who have just electricity supplied by E.On will see a price rise of 7.7%, but gas-only customers will see prices go up by an average of 9.4%. We should probably thank them for not doing it on the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Day…